The relationship between performance on tests of minimum competency (MCT) required for high school graduation and dropout behavior was studied with 76,664 Florida students. Results indicate that MCT failure increases the likelihood of leaving school only for students doing well academically, but not for minority students or those doing poorly.…

The Corsicana (Texas) high school assistant principal recounts how 34 consistently failing math and reading senior underachievers successfully passed the Texas statewide tests after they were taught all coursework through their preferred learning styles in a supportive environment. (Author/DB)

Responses of 310 teachers in Florida to a survey about use of teacher-made tests, nationally standardized tests, and state minimum competency tests were studied. Results show that all three test types were used to some extent in eight decision categories, but none of the tests were clearly dominant. (SLD)

Six recommendations from the 1985 report "A Call for Change in Teacher Education" are analyzed with regard to actual and potential conflicts between goals for minority recruitment and the five other recommendations (testing, integration of liberal arts and teacher training, extended induction-internships, certification standards set by state…

Providing quality principal preparation internship programs at the nation's graduate schools of education has long been a topic of discussion and concern. In 1989, the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA) cited a decline in the quality of administrator preparation programs. These programs were criticized for being…

Three sets of goals useful for assessing student competencies in speaking and listening are reviewed in this paper. The first instrument examined, derived from a report of that Speech Communication Association's National Project on Speech Communication Competencies for all grades, lists (1) five assumptions concerning the nature of communication…

Issues associated with minimum competency testing are discussed: the national, state, and local context for MCT program development; MCT's potential impact; the use and development of MCT programs; and reactions to the testing programs. Presently, the federal role is described as limited to providing information, research support, and technical…

Argues that the Florida Teacher Certification Examination is culturally, linguistically, and philosophically biased against minorities. Suggested alternatives to testing are implementation of knowledge about effective schools, teacher workshops on effective techniques and attitudes for teaching nonachievers, and improved early education. (CMG)

The issue of Exceptional Education Quarterly addresses several major issues affecting the measurement of exceptionality in the schools. (SB)

A panel of 24 public school teachers and 37 college/university faculty members provided recommendations on minimal standards for the essay portion of the National Teacher Examinations Communication Skills Test. Public school judges' recommendations were significantly more variable than were those of college/university judges. (TJH)

Describes the significant change in Arkansas State public policy on education during the tenure of Governor Bill Clinton. Details the political ups and downs of Clinton's initiatives, particularly teacher competency tests. Offers a postscript on Clinton's initiatives and a side bar on the Home Instructional Program for Preschool Youngsters. (JB)

Discusses decision making and politics in teacher education. In Papua New Guinea, poor command of the English language led to implementation of an intensive, controversial program in teacher education colleges. The article presents comments on teacher education, language, and competency testing in England, Wales, Brazil, Canada, and the United…

Describes two state-mandated programs for institutional accountability in New Jersey (i.e., Basic Skills Assessment Program and College Outcomes Evaluation Program), which function through cooperation between the state's higher education agency and its colleges and universities. Highlights research objectives, procedures, responsibilities,…

Although the results of minimum competency tests need to be interpreted with caution, data on the Texas Assessment of Basic Skills (TABS) for 1980-82 clearly indicate the inadequate results of remedial programs for minority students in Texas. Secondary analysis of the data shows that overall performance on exit level math and reading tests…

Student test scores are increasingly used to judge the competence of the educational enterprise. Exaggeration of scores is the result of directing attention away from the individual student achievement to the average scores of schools, districts, and states. Implications and recommendations are discussed. (BJV)